Here's To Us
by timelording
Summary: I'm Jade West, and I'm not ready for 'real life'.


**A/N: **So here's my latest Victorious fic, and it may be my last. I'm going to continue and finish the ones I've already started, don't worry, I won't abandon them, but unless any fics are specifically requested, this may be my last Victorious fic, for reasons I'm sure you all can guess. Anyway, without further ado, here it is!

**Disclaimer: **No.

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You know, when you're a kid, you plan everything out, your life, exactly the way you want it to be. You'll grow up to be a princess, or a pirate, or the president, or walk on the moon, and maybe get married, maybe have a few kids, and maybe own a pony. But then you grow up, and you slowly realize that life isn't how you viewed it when you were five or six. Life isn't just a pony and living in a castle or moon-walking. Life is a lot different, and somehow, you can never seem to predict how your life is gonna go. You get to high school and every preconceived shred of a notion that you'd managed to hang on to in middle school gets blown up in your face. No pony, ponies are impractical. Can't be a princess, can't be a pirate, those don't exist anymore. Good luck becoming the president, and walking on the moon? You've got more chance of being struck by lightning and bit by a shark at the same time. You get to high school, and then you realize, '_shit, my life is not what I want it to be_', but then suddenly you're graduating and it's too late and you're stuck in a boring job taking night classes to get your degree and wallowing in self-pity.

At least, that's what I've heard about life after high school.

I'm Jade West, and I'm not ready for 'real life'.

The fold up chair I'm sitting in is harder than rock, and I can feel myself slowly losing sensation in my butt. The ridiculous polyester gown I'm wearing over my clothes is hot and stuffy, and I want to rip it off violently. The kids sitting in the rows of chairs around me are too close, and breathing too heavily, and sweating too much.

I want to scream, and then punch something. And then scream some more.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath to calm down. My eyes snap open when I hear a "psst! Jade!" from down the row. I lean forward and look to my left and see Tori, grinning and giving me a thumbs up.

Her hair is curled nicely, and she's got on dangle feather earrings. She's also dressed in the obnoxious red gown, but she manages to pull it off, somehow looking like some kind of goddess while the rest of us look like Santa Claus.

I return her grin with a tight smile and lean back in my seat. I smile again as I think back to the kiss we shared in the hallway before the torturous march into this stifling gymnasium filled with our parents and families and friends. (I've yet to look for my parents, and I don't think I want to, to be honest.)

I can hear the principal's droning voice going on and on, but I'm not listening, because I really don't care. I don't realize they've started calling names until I hear one I recognize.

"André Harris!" I watch as he saunters across the stage, with his ever-present, easy-going grin, and takes his diploma, turning to smile for the camera. That's when it really sinks in- we're _graduating_.

I watch as the rest of my graduating class make their way across the stage as their names are called out, and perk up as I hear another name I recognize.

"Beck Oliver!" He doesn't walk, but casually strolls across the stage, pushing his hair back as he takes the diploma and smiles for the picture. Once upon a time, I thought he'd be the boy I'd marry one day. My, how times have changed.

I finally hear another name I know. "Robbie Shapiro!" Thankfully, he left Rex at home, but he stumbles across the stage in the awkward way only Robbie can, and takes his diploma.

Suddenly, my entire row stands up and we make our way over in a line to the stage. I can feel a drop of sweat slide down the back of my neck, and I wipe it away angrily. Damn polyester.

I'm nervous, but I watch as Cat practically skips across the stage for her diploma when they call her name. She giggles for the picture, and I wonder how she can be so carefree.

Then, "Tori Vega!"

I'm nervous for her, and I nearly cry out as she practically trips up the stairs, but she catches herself and keeps going.

I grin as she takes her diploma and smiles for the picture, and I gaze after her as she's ushered off into the side room where all the other kids are waiting.

My legs are shaking in my tights and combat boots as a few more names are called.

This is it. "Jadelyn West!"

Time seems to slow down as I make my way across the stage and take my diploma. I don't exactly scowl for the picture, but I don't smile, either.

I'm ushered off the stage, and I'm in a daze. That was it, it's over, goodbye childhood, hello real life.

I enter the room they sent me to, and Tori practically attacks me, arms wrapping around my neck and squeezing me close.

"Oh my god, Jade, I can't believe it! We graduated! Oh my god! Can you even believe it? Oh my god!" she exclaims.

I pull back and press my lips to hers for a deep kiss. I break away after a few moments and smile. I'm at a loss for words, and I think she understands this, and just smiles back.

I glance around the room, her hand in mine. There, in the corner, are Robbie and Beck. I watch as they share a quick kiss (now _that_ was something I'd never seen coming when they told us). And there's André, hugging Cat, her shock of bright red hair screaming at me from across the room.

I give Tori's hand a squeeze and pull her into my arms again, burying my head in her neck.

When you're a kid, you plan out how your life is going to go, but it never seems to go according to plan. No ponies, no pirates, no walks on the moon. But it's not always bad. Your life may not go according to plans made at age six, but it can still end up good. You're not ready for high school, but there it is, and then _boom _ you're graduating and all your friends are there, and you can't help but smile, because you've made it this far, victorious.

I'm Jade West, and I'm not ready for 'real life'.

And that's okay.


End file.
